Jewish Humor Central is a daily publication to start your day with news of the Jewish world that's likely to produce a knowing smile and some Yiddishe nachas. It's also a collection of sources of Jewish humor--anything that brings a grin, chuckle, laugh, guffaw, or just a warm feeling to readers.
Our posts include jokes, satire, books, music, films, videos, food, Unbelievable But True, and In the News. Some are new, and some are classics. We post every morning, Sunday through Friday. Enjoy!
Dolly Parton, the American singer-songwriter, actress and businesswoman who died last week in Nashville had a profound impact on the education of Jewish children worldwide. In 1995 she founded the Imagination Library in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write. It mails one book per month to each enrolled child from the time of their birth until they enter kindergarten.
The idea inspired Jewish philanthropist Harold Grinspoon to take the concept even further by creating PJ Library using Parton's model to mail free, high-quality books directly to Jewish children, adapting it to focus on Jewish stories, values, and traditions for families worldwide.
The PJ Library team selects an age-appropriate board book,
picture book, or early chapter book every month for kids ages 0 to 8.
Older readers ages 9 to 12 get to choose their own middle-grade book each
month from a selection of fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels.
At Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston last Friday night, Cantor Rachel Goldman paid tribute to Parton by singing Lecha Dodi to her song, 9 to 5.
Songwriter Sammy Fain was born Samuel Feinberg in New York City, to a family that was deeply rooted in the world of show business. His uncle, for instance, Willie Howard (Wilhelm Levkowitz), son of a Silesian cantor, was a vaudeville performer.
As a young man, Fain taught himself to play the piano. Although he couldn't read music well, he had a natural talent for
coming up with memorable melodies in the spur of the moment. In 1925, he
composed his first piece: "Nobody Knows What a Red-headed Mama Can Do."
Until 1942, Fain worked extensively in collaboration with Irving Kahal. In the late 1920s, they created works including "Wedding Bells are
Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine" and "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella."
Fain and Kahal also collaborated to write pieces for the play Right This Way, such as "I Can Dream, Can't I?" and "I'll Be Seeing You." The latter was especially popular during WWII, as it perfectly reflected the feelings of many American wives whose husbands were off fighting.
95 years ago a short film was released featuring Sammy Fain singing some of his most popular songs. Enjoy!
Candid
Camera
was an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series
created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as
The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947.
After a series of theatrical
film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone,
Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948, and continued
into the 1970s. The show involved concealing cameras filming ordinary people being
confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props,
such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car
with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would
be told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."
Peter
Funt joined the show professionally in 1987 when he became a co-host
with
his father. During this time the show was being broadcast on the CBS
television network. In 1993, Allen Funt had a serious stroke, from which
he never fully recovered. This required Peter to host the show
full-time.
The
show went through a few revivals. During his time on the show Peter was
a producer, host and acted on the show. He also produced and hosted
over 200 episodes.
In
this classic stunt set on a highway, Candid Camera staffer Dick was positioned with a sign saying "Snail Crossing". As each car approached, he waved the sign and told drivers that they could not proceed and had to wait 15 minutes while the snail crossed the road on the way to the mating grounds across the highway. Watch their reactions.
Move over, Shtisel. Israel has a new romantic comedy for you to stream on its ChaiFlicks channel. As reported by Alan Zeitlin on the Unpacked website, the series centers on two 35-year-old roommates and best friends
navigating careers, dating, and the pressure to settle down in Tel Aviv.
Murray (Naomi Levov) teaches romantic comedies at a university but can’t seem to make one happen in her own life. Her roommate Dana (Rotem Sela), meanwhile, is a successful gynecologist whose romantic life isn’t exactly thriving either.
Originally released in Israel in 2022, the
nine-episode first season premiered on ChaiFlicks on July 19, with new
episodes arriving weekly. The streamer has also acquired the second
season, which will receive its global premiere on the platform at a
later date.
For American audiences, one of the most refreshing aspects of “Bloody
Murray” may simply be seeing an Israeli series whose central conflict
has nothing to do with terrorism, espionage, or war.
While internationally successful Israeli shows like “Fauda” and
“Tehran” revolve around national security, the crises in “Bloody
Murray” are wonderfully ordinary: bad dates, complicated friendships,
impossible apartment hunts, and wondering whether you’re falling behind
while everyone else seems to have figured out adulthood.
If you're not familiar with ChaiFlicks, it's often described as the “Netflix of Jewish content.” It's a subscription service at $11.99 per month or $99.99 per year, with a free 7 day trial.
Its library includes “Checkout” (“Kupa
Rashit”), the hit Israeli sitcom set inside a chaotic supermarket, and
“The New Black” (“Shababnikim”), about four yeshiva students who don’t
exactly excel at following the rules.
The service is also home to “Shtisel,” the acclaimed drama starring Michael Aloni as Akiva Shtisel, a young Haredi artist trying to find love and his place within Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox community.
Now “Bloody Murray” joins the lineup — and it deserves to find an audience well beyond Israel.
It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today Mickey Greenblatt is back with another good one.
Marshal (Mickey) Greenblatt received degrees from Columbia (BA and BS in Flight Sciences), a DC from Von Karman Institute (1963) and his PhD from Princeton in Aerospace Sciences. He worked as a researcher for NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory.
With four other scientists, he founded Fusion Systems Corporation, which invented microwave-powered UV lamps for drying coatings. He founded and served on the boards of technology companies and is active in volunteer work. He served on the executive committee of the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington for many years.
Mickey
also loves Jewish jokes and sent us this one. Here's the setup: A mechanic was working on a car when he saw a friend of his, a cardiologist in the shop, evidently waiting for his car. And then...
Some
of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we
continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines
by iconic comedians on
Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.
Gilbert Gottfried (1955–2022) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He was best known
for his exaggerated shrill voice, strong New York dialect, his squint, and his edgy, often controversial sense of humor.
His numerous roles in film and television included voicing Iago in the Walt Disney Company's Aladdin franchise, Mister Mxyzptlk in Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Action, Digit LeBoid in PBS Kids' Cyberchase, Kraang Subprime in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Aflac duck mascot before he was replaced by Daniel McKeague in 2011. He also played Mr. Peabody in the Problem Child franchise, the only actor in the series to reprise his role in all three films as well as the animated television series.
In this standup routine at a Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, Gottfried casts light on the inspiration behind Herman Melville's famous book, Moby Dick.
Cantor Daniel Mutlu was called to serve as Senior Cantor of Central Synagogue in 2017. Cantor Mutlu is a first-generation American born to Turkish Jewish parents.
Raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, Cantor Mutlu attended the Yeshiva Academy Achei Tmimim where he forged a strong Jewish identity and a broad religious perspective.
Cantor Mutlu proudly represented Central Synagogue at the 2019 URJ Biennial in Chicago where he led Friday evening Shabbat services for nearly 5,000 worshippers.
Today we join Cantor Mutlu in welcoming another Shabbat with Oseh Shalom.
Today's Throwback Thursday Musical Showcase takes us back to January 1959 when Georgia Gibbs sang The Birth of the Blues on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Georgia Gibbs, born Frieda Lipschitz in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1918,
was an American popular singer and vocal entertainer rooted in jazz.
Already singing publicly in her early teens, Gibbs achieved acclaim and
notoriety in the mid-1950s copying songs originating with the black
rhythm and blues community and later became a featured vocalist for many
radio and television variety and comedy programs.
Gibbs
was the youngest of four children of Russian Jewish descent. Her father
died when she was six months old, and she and her three siblings spent
the next seven years in a local Jewish orphanage.
In 1943, with her name changed to Georgia Gibbs, she began appearing on the Camel Caravan radio program, hosted by Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore,
where she remained a regular performer until 1947. It was Moore who
bestowed upon her the famous nickname "Her Nibs, Miss Georgia Gibbs,"
ironically using the title to describe the singer of diminutive stature
who had an enormous "authoritative" prominence in American pop music.
Candid Camera
was a popular and long-running American hidden camera reality
television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948
until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947.
The show involved concealed cameras filming ordinary people being
confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props,
such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car
with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims were
told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." The catchphrase became a song with music and lyrics by Sid Ramin.
Dolly Parton, the musician, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman who died yesterday in Nashville, was a special favorite among Allen's team when Candid Camera moved its production to Nashville in the 1970s. Dubbed the "Queen of Country," Dolly was fun, witty and enormously talented.
Here are two of her Candid moments from 1975 when she took part in two elaborate Candid Camera Classics pranks. One involves faking an injury to get assistance in a parking lot, while the other features a disruptive musical performance in a grocery store designed to confuse and provoke reactions from unsuspecting shoppers.
Shahar Hasson is one of the leading stand-up comedians in Israel, appearing on Israeli stages for over 25 years, He is a graduate of Yoram Levinstein's acting school.
Shahar is an entertainer who paved his way through the best entertainment programs in Israel: Eretz Nehederet, Zahirut TV, TV at its best, Laughter from Work, Limited Edition, Fun Night, Express Hearts and more.
In this performance before a live audience, Shahar carries on about his experiences with Italian waiters in restaurants during a trip to Rome.
It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. This week we're posting another joke from Dr. Jay Orlikoff, a retired dentist from Centereach, New York, a community on Long
Island in Suffolk County.
After
a distinguished and meritorious dental career, he is shifting his focus
to telling and posting jokes on YouTube. We were fortunate to find some
of his jokes and we're sharing one of the family-friendly ones with you
today.
Here's
the setup: Two old ladies are sitting on a park bench across from the town hall where a big flower show is going on. One of the old ladies says to the other "Boy, life is so boring. For five dollars I'd tear my clothes off and run through that flower show and streak them all" And then...
Some
of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we
continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines
by iconic comedians on
Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.
Lenny Schultz was an American comedian who performed
during the 1970s on television and at comedy clubs in New York City. His
madcap style of improvisational comedy influenced other comedians such
as Robin Williams, Gallagher, Carrot Top, and David Letterman.
Throughout his comedy career he continued working as a high school gym
teacher and was known to leave clubs early on school nights. Schultz said that both principals and fellow teachers would ask him for autographs after seeing him on TV the night before. Schultz was known among his fellow comedians as a "hard act to follow".
In this routine from 1977 Schultz tells the story of how it all began--the planet, life, everything-- complete with realistic sound effects.
Today we welcome Shabbat with Annie singing Yedid Nefesh at Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus, a Conservative synagogue in North Miami Beach, Florida.
There is a custom to sing Yedid Nefesh between Mincha (afternoon prayer) on Friday and the beginning of Kabbalat Shabbat (literally: receiving or greeting the Sabbath—a collection of psalms usually sung to welcome in the Shabbat Queen. This custom is believed to have begun in the second half of the 20th century.
Dinah Shore, born Frances Rose Shore (1916–1994) in Winchester, Tennessee, to Russian-Jewish immigrant shopkeepers Anna Stein and Solomon Shore, was an American singer, actress,
television personality, author, and talk show host.
Raised in Nashville, she rose to prominence as a recording artist during the Big Band
era. She achieved even greater success a decade later in television,
mainly as the host of a series of variety programs sponsored by Chevrolet.
In 1966 she appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and sang Something Wonderful from The King and I by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Candid
Camera
was an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series
created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as
The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947.
After a series of theatrical
film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone,
Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948, and continued
into the 1970s. The show involved concealing cameras filming ordinary people being
confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props,
such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car
with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would
be told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."
Peter
Funt joined the show professionally in 1987 when he became a co-host
with
his father. During this time the show was being broadcast on the CBS
television network. In 1993, Allen Funt had a serious stroke, from which
he never fully recovered. This required Peter to host the show
full-time.
The
show went through a few revivals. During his time on the show Peter was
a producer, host and acted on the show. He also produced and hosted
over 200 episodes.
In
this classic episode, the Candid Camera crew rigged the sinks in a public restroom in Gulfport, Mississippi so that they could control the flow of water from the faucets.
In 2020 the Forverts launched a daily series of
short informal video clips called Yiddish Word of the Day.The series,
written and narrated by Forverts editor Rukhl Schaechter, aims to give
non-Yiddish speakers an introduction to familiar Yiddish words and phrases and
how they might be used in everyday situations.
Schaechter, who was appointed the new editor of the Forverts in 2016, is
the first woman to helm the paper in its 119-year history, its first
editor to have been born in the United States, and likely its first editor
who is shomeret Shabbat.
We posted the
first
of this series in May 2020. Now that the Forverts is continuing the
series, we'll continue sharing some of the words and phrases as a regular feature of
Jewish Humor Central.
In Yiddish, the verbs for losing a game, losing your glasses and losing your way are all different.Today
we get to learn the Yiddish word for losing and some of the words and expressions associated with loss.
It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today Mickey Greenblatt is back with another good one.
Marshal (Mickey) Greenblatt received degrees from Columbia (BA and BS in Flight Sciences), a DC from Von Karman Institute (1963) and his PhD from Princeton in Aerospace Sciences. He worked as a researcher for NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory.
With four other scientists, he founded Fusion Systems Corporation, which invented microwave-powered UV lamps for drying coatings. He founded and served on the boards of technology companies and is active in volunteer work. He served on the executive committee of the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington for many years.
Mickey
also loves Jewish jokes and sent us this one to share with you. Here's
the setup: After a tiring day of work the commuter sat on the train, happy to close her eyes and get a few minutes of sleep. And then...
Some
of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we
continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines
by iconic comedians on
Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.
Andy Kaufman's career was taking off in the 1970s, from the stage of the Improv comedy club in New York to Saturday Night Live and appearances on several variety and talk shows. He introduced his foreign man character and his lip sync to the Mighty Mouse theme. As he deconstructed the idea of the stand-up comedian, his only hope, in his words, was to entertain.
A favorite piece of an Andy Kaufman performance was audience participation, whether it was singing along or going out for milk and cookies after the show. In this bit from 50 years ago, he invites the audience to join him in a sing-along.
This is a super fun melody from Nigeria, taught to Cantor Jacob Agar of Beth Shalom Congregation of Elkins Park, Pennsylvania by Moshe Hezekiah, a Hazzan from the Abuja Jewish community of Nigeria. Cantor Agar notated and arranged the melody for this rendition of Adon Olam.
There are currently four Igbo Jewish synagogues in Abuja: Gihon
Synagogue, headed by Elder Ovadia Agbai; Tikvat Israel Synagogue, headed
by Sar Habakkuk Nwafor; Plant for the Growth of Israel Synagogue,
headed by Remy Ilona; and Igbo Israel Heritage Synagogue, headed by Dr.
Michael Caliben. All four congregations have been studying and
practicing Judaism for some years.
The
Borscht Belt Festival in Ellenville, New York, celebrated its fourth year last month. Catskills fans from all over descended on the festival at
the Borscht Belt Museum for a dose of nostalgia, Jewish comedy, and
classic Jewish food as it was served in the hotels of Sullivan and
Ulster Counties.
The festival lasted only for a few days but the museum is open during the summer on Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. It's closed on Mondays.
The museum is currently featuring a new exhibit called Catskills Romance: Love and Desire in the Borscht Belt.
It traces the relationships — both conventional and otherwise — that unfolded across the grand hotels and humble bungalow colonies. It celebrates the resort owners, maitre d’s, social directors (tummlers), dance instructors, and staff who masterminded countless successful matches, and explores the beautiful rituals of courtship that defined Catskills summer. The exhibit highlights the essential spaces, activities, and ingredients that sparked connection: the poolside scene, the Mambo nights and Champagne Hour competitions, and the world-class entertainment that made the resorts irresistible to singles and couples alike.
Beyond the nostalgia, the exhibition uncovers more complex narratives: tales of hidden desire, lost innocence, and the enduring memories guests carried home long after the season ended. Drawing on rare artifacts, vintage photography, oral histories, and the iconic popular culture the era inspired, Catskills Romance offers an intimate, elegant look at a world where tradition and transgression mingled poolside — and a single dance could change a life forever.
The exhibition contains mature content and is not suitable for all ages. Parental discretion is advised.
Here is a the 3-min film that the museum is showing that describes the history of the Catskills resort era.
Candid
Camera
was an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series
created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as
The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947.
After a series of theatrical
film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone,
Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948, and continued
into the 1970s. The show involved concealing cameras filming ordinary people being
confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props,
such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car
with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would
be told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."
Peter
Funt joined the show professionally in 1987 when he became a co-host
with
his father. During this time the show was being broadcast on the CBS
television network. In 1993, Allen Funt had a serious stroke, from which
he never fully recovered. This required Peter to host the show
full-time.
The
show went through a few revivals. During his time on the show Peter was
a producer, host and acted on the show. He also produced and hosted
over 200 episodes.
Sixty years ago the Candid Camera producers set up an office situation with a door that people were supposed to knock on before entering. But none of the realized how strong they were.
You
can study Hebrew for years. Learn grammar, memorize vocabulary. But the
moment Israelis start talking to each other, you suddenly feel that you
don't understand anything. Why? Because Israelis use a lot of slang,
words that rarely appear in textbooks.
Today
we're starting a series of videos by Sasson, also known as Sass, giving
you the inside scoop on the Hebrew that most Israelis speak among
themselves. Today you’ll learn 7 untranslatable Hebrew words that reveal how Israelis really think, speak, and connect.
These are not just vocabulary words - they carry culture, attitude, and personality.
In this video, you’ll learn:
✔ What “chutzpah” really means in Israeli culture
✔ How to express genuine support with “firgun”
✔ Why Israelis speak so directly (dugri)
✔ How to say “let’s get to the point” (tachles)
✔ A unique Hebrew phrase for new things (tit'chadesh)
✔ How Israelis use “stam” in daily conversation
✔ A slang word that captures the Israeli vibe (stalbet)
It's anotherMonday
and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're sharing an
oldie but goodie that we recently rediscovered in a rich treasure trove
from Old Jews Telling Jokes.
Old Jews Telling Jokes started out as a website created in 2009 by Sam Hoffman and Eric Spiegelman. The website and
subsequent book, CD, and DVD were the result of their renting a
storefront in Highland Park, New Jersey, and videotaping the old jokes
told by their parents and friends.
The
jokes, told by Jews 65 and older, have been widely reprinted and
reposted on the Internet. At Jewish Humor Central, we have used some of
the video clips in our Joke to Start the Week on Mondays. Now that we've
found a new collection of these jokes, we will be posting them in the
coming weeks as our Monday offering.
Here's one joke told by gynecological surgeon Michael Goldberg.
Some
of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we
continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines
by iconic comedians on
Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.
In 1967 legendary comedians Jack Benny and George Burns, who evolved from the vaudeville stage to television, stepped into the roles of bickering comedic brothers Tom and Dick Smothers on this sketch from the classic hit comedy show and topped it off with the song "I Taught Him Everything He Knows."
Today we are welcoming Shabbat with Rivka Zohar singing the song Ana Bekoach, a liturgical poem from the Kabbalat Shabbat service that appears in the siddur just before Lecha Dodi. It's a Kabbalistic prayer composed by Rav Nehunia Ben Hakannah. It is also sung at weddings.
Israeli pop artist Rivka Zohar is a great performer. Her music fits
under the popular pop category, which is distinguished by catchy
melodies and approachable lyrics. Rivka's music is joyful and emotional
at the same time, focusing on universal themes and personal experiences
that connect with listeners.
Rivka has a special talent for
engaging her listeners with her music. Her music is filled with an
openness and sincerity that speaks to the human condition. Rivka's music
is consistently relevant and extraordinarily touching, whether she is
singing about love, loss, or personal development.
Known
as the 42-letter Name of God, Ana Bekoach is a unique formula
built of 42 letters written in seven sentences of six words each. Each
of the seven sentences correspond to the seven days of the week, seven
specific angels, and to a particular heavenly body. The letters that
make up Ana Bekoach are encoded within the first 42 letters of the book of Genesis.
The
kabbalists explain that this combination of letters takes us back to
the time of Creation, and each time we meditate on a particular
sequence, we return to the original uncorrupted energy that built the
world. By performing the Ana Bekoach meditation, we enrich our lives with unadulterated spiritual Light and positive energy.
Jewish
sketch comedy has arrived, live in comedy clubs and in videos posted on
You Tube................. A good example of this new comedy, focused mainly on the
Modern Orthodox Jewish community, is the comedy trio of Eli Lebowicz,
Ami Kozak, and Mikey Greenblatt, who created J-Sketch.
In
today's video, two consultants are hosted by a client who takes them to a kosher restaurant for the first time. Okay, it's a parody and an exaggeration, but last winter we encountered a restaurant in Florida that was very much like this one, including the mashgiach and the upcharge for water. No kidding.
Now You Can Book Engaging Multimedia Programs for 2026 and 2027 in Person and Via ZOOM
Now is the time to book our Jewish humor programs and lectures for your 2026 and 2027 events in person and via ZOOM anywhere in the world. Book any of our 26 popular programs including "The Great Jewish Comedians", “Israel is a Funny Country”, and "Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places." Click above for details and videos. To book a program with Al, go to www.jewishhumorlive.com
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Just Published: The Kustanowitz Kronikle - 35 Years of Purim Parody
Every Purim for the past 35 years we have published a Purim parody edition of The Kustanowitz Kronikle, covering virtually every aspect of Jewish life, and including parodies of hundreds of popular movies. This year we decided to retire the series and capture all the fun in a book that's just been published and is available at Amazon.com. It has every Purim issue of The Kustanowitz Kronikle from 1988 through 2022 in a full-color, full-size paperback book with hilarious headline stories and parody movie picks. Here are a few examples: TRUMP, NETANYAHU SWAP ROLES, COUNTRIES; NEW TALMUD VOLUME "VOTIN" FOUND IN IRAQ; JOINS "FRESSIN", "NAPPIN", TANTZEN","PATCHEN"; "JUDAICARE" PROGRAM PLANNED TO ENSURE THAT ALL JEWS HAVE SYNAGOGUE MEMBERSHIP; RABBIS CREATE TALMUD AMERICANI; NEW LAWS EXTEND HALACHA TO THANKSGIVING AND JULY 4; JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE UNITE TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING; FOCUS ON REDUCING HOT AIR; RABBIS TO REQUIRE SHECHITA FOR MANY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Jewish Humor Central Staff
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief:
Al Kustanowitz Food and Wine Editor:
Aviva Weinberg Israel Food and Wine Consultant Penina Kustanowitz Reporter and Photographer:
Meyer Berkowitz Reporter Phyllis Flancbaum
"Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places" is now available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle editions
This book presents 150 anecdotes and associated video clips that reveal the myriad ways that Jewish culture, religion, humor, music, song, and dance have found expression in parts of the world that, at first glance, might not seem supportive of Jewish Life. It includes 50 videos of Hava Nagila being performed from Texas to Thailand, from India to Iran, and from Buenos Aires to British Columbia. Also highlighted are 34 international versions of Hevenu Shalom Aleichem, Adon Olam, Abanibi, and Tumbalalaika. Whether you’re reading the print version and typing in the video URLs or reading the e-book version and clicking on the links, you’ll have access to 150 video clips totaling more than 10 hours of video. Enjoy!
"Israel is a Funny Country" is now available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle editions
This book explores the multifaceted nature of humor in Israel, some of which is intentional and some of which is unintentional. Either way, the quirks of Israeli life contribute to making that life interesting and fulfilling. In the pages of this volume, we take a look at humorous slices of Israeli life, Israeli comedy, satire and parody, funny TV commercials, unusual stories about food, surprising rabbinic bans on daily activities, simchas as they can only be celebrated in Israel, and endearing aspects of Israeli culture. There are more than 120 anecdotes and links to video clips totaling more than six hours of video. We hope that these anecdotes and video clips give you a new and different insight into life in Israel, and encourage you to join in the fun by planning a visit to the land flowing with milk and honey.
Now Open: The Jewish Humor Central Gift Shop
Jewish Humor Central logo merchandise is now available. Click on the image above to see the complete collection -- More than 100 items from tote bags, baseball caps, mugs, aprons, drinkware, T-shirts and sweatshirts, to pajamas and underwear.
The Best of Jewish Humor Central - Now Available in eBook and Paperback at Amazon.com
The Best of Jewish Humor Central - More than 400 video clips, including music and comedy videos for all the Jewish holidays. View them on Your PC, Mac, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, iTouch, Android Tablet and Smartphone. Click on the image above to peek inside and download a free sample. And now, a paperback edition for anyone who prefers a traditional book and doesn't mind typing the URLs instead of clicking on them.
About the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
A long-term devotee of Jewish humor, Al Kustanowitz has been collecting and sharing it even before there was an internet. In 2009, after a 36-year career at IBM managing new technology projects, he founded Jewish Humor Central (jewishhumorcentral.com. Through the blog he brings a daily dose of fun and positive energy to readers who would otherwise start the day reading news that is often drab, dreary, and depressing (subscribing is free). He has published 12 books on humor based on his more than 4,000 blog postings, each of which includes a video clip and his commentary.
He has presented more than 100 programs in South Florida and the Northeast on topics that include the great comedians and entertainers of the 20th century, funniest moments in film and television, flash mobs around the world, and composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook.
He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the City University of New York and taught computer science courses at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association of Yiddish Clubs.
You can contact Al via email at akustan@gmail.com.
Daily Reyd
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Article summaries generated by AI: • Did We Fail If They Don’t Make Aliyah?
– Religious Zionist education should encourage aliyah while respecting
individu...
A Very Early Classic Dry Bones Cartoon
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Here is a very early classic Dry Bones Cartoon from 1973. The Yom Kippur
war and the present situation have a lot in common.
Even when things are diffi...
Were Jews Expelled From 109 Countries? We Counted.
-
The 109 countries thing is back. (Was it ever gone?) It turns up mostly in
replies, tweets etc. as a sort of conversational shrug: Jews have been
expelle...
Was Benoît Mandelbrot Jewish?
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Yes, Benoît Mandelbrot was a Jew. The Times obituary says he, "was born on
Nov. 20, 1924, to a Lithuanian Jewish family in Warsaw. In 1936 his family
fled ...
Thoughts on the Haggadah by Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum
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[image: Story 375601404]
We just recently were able to find the latest version of my fathers, Rabbi
Eli Teitelbaum Z”L, thoughts on the Haggadah and conve...
Hamantaschen: The Symbolism behind Purim Cookies
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Purim is a celebration of masquerade, Mishloach Manot, Hamantaschen and
book of Esther reading. Every Jewish holiday focuses on a special dish and
the tria...
Thank you for your support!
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Thank you very much for supporting our work at The Muqata. We appreciate
your contribution and hope to be able to keep bringing you the most up to
date ...
Boarding School Massachusetts
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Every fall the Massachusetts Health Connector provides information
concerning the public higher education institutions and designed to prevent
offenders ...
A chat with some protesters…
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Originally posted on don of all trades:
Hi protesters, it’s me, Don. Do you remember me? No? I’m a police officer.
We’ve met before. Excuse me? Did you say...
Jerusalem Walking Tours for Sukkot
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It is about time that I brought back my “Jerusalem: Meet Jerusalem” walking
tour series. And while I am nearing completion on a few new ones that I
hope to...
Trayf of the Week: Bacon Jam
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Just when you thought it was safe to eat your bagels in mixed company,
comes this devilish concoction. Next time a Goyishe friend offers you a
shmear, mak...
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